Zutara Week '09
by Wohitzi
Summary: It's that time of year again - Seven prompts, Seven days, one awesome pairing.
1. Crossover

There were some things in life no one could predict. Like which element someone would choose in a game of "Earth, Water, Fire, Air" (the mathematics of probability never seemed to apply, especially when Sokka played), who Momo would steal lunch from next (for reasons similar to the previous situation), or when Toph would take her next bath.

They were just some of the unsolved mysteries of the world and, truthfully, they were what made life interesting.

However, there was interesting unpredictability, and there was _nightmarish_ unpredictability.

"Katara?"

Standing in the hole he had smashed in the wall, creating a tunnel from one chamber to the next, Aang stared at her in disbelief. Crystals that protruded from every surface of the cavern emitted a soft green light, one cluster in particular hanging over Katara and casting a sort of viridian spotlight around her.

And Zuko.

At least, the person _looked_ like Zuko. It was hard to tell with the Earth Kingdom clothes and grown out hair and, well, Katara was kind of obscuring most of his face.

By _kissing him._

At the sound of his voice, the pair jumped apart as though electrified. Katara scratched the back of her neck, smiling nervously as her cheeks turning almost the same colour as Zuko's scar. Trying to sound casual, she said, "Oh, hey, Aang. I, uh, didn't expect to see you here."

"I came to save you!" he said, remembering his intent now that his would-be-lover and sworn enemy were clearly two separate people, and not some sort of twisted fusion. "Um. . . What are you guys doing? Together?"

"Healing," Zuko blurted in a strange-sounding voice. It took a moment for Aang to realize that it was because he wasn't yelling or threatening him and instead seemed almost . . . _bashful_? "She was trying to heal me."

Beside Aang, Iroh was grinning so widely it appeared as though his face might split in two. "Oh, prince Zuko, I knew you had it in you! Should I stay in the teashop tonight so you and your friend can have some privacy?"

"_No_!" he shouted, reddening to the tips of his ears. The familiarity of his anger helped reassure Aang that he hadn't stumbled into one of those alternate realities Sokka had been talking about, were up was down and the Air Nomads were genocidal war-mongers.

"So . . ." he said, gaze darting between the pair, still not quite able to make sense of the situation. "Is this the part where I save you, or . . . ?"

"Actually, we, uh, we've been talking and, um, w-we decided that, uh –"

"I've decided that I wanna join your group," Zuko finished for her, tone even and sure as he looked Aang straight in the eye. Then he did something that made Aang's collapsing brain deteriorate a little more; he reached out and grabbed Katara's hand, giving it a gentle, reassuring squeeze.

With a shout of congratulations ("You got a girlfriend _and_ you've come to your senses!"), Iroh pulled a protesting Zuko into a fatherly embrace, leaving Katara to comfort Aang.

It was a wasted effort; no amount of explanation could mend the fact that his entire reality had been flipped upside down.

* * *

Crossover: To move from one side to the other.

**Disclaimer: 'Avatar' and all of its contents belongs to Nickelodeon, and is no way my property. **


	2. Blood

The pounding heart rate told Toph that, in the room behind her, Katara had awakened and was relaying what had just happened to Suki. A fine opportunity for taunting and teasing, but not quite as great as the disastrous potential of Sokka and Zuko's conversation.

"So," Sokka said, arms crossed and boomerang in one hand, the dull side tapping casually against his hip. Judging from Zuko's rapid heartbeat, he might as well have been holding it to his throat. "Care to explain why my baby sister is soaking wet and unconscious?"

"We were sort of, you know," Zuko started, fidgeting and tripping over his tongue, "goofing off and pushing each other around and I, uh, accidentally pushed her into the fountain."

"You also lost your balance and fell in on top of her," Toph chimed in, barely able to contain her grin at Zuko's sudden spike in blood pressure.

The boomerang ceased its rhythmic tapping as Sokka instead used it to point at the other male, saying, "So, what? She fell in and bumped her head or something?"

Zuko was going to lie – she could sense it in all his physical reactions – but he must have glanced over, caught the beginnings of a smirk on her face and realized it would be useless. So, letting out a tiny sigh, he rubbed the back of his neck, a considerable amount of blood rushing to his face as he said, "No, she . . . She actually fainted because I, uh, I-I kinda . . . kissed her."

"With tongue," Toph was quick to add, positively beaming. She couldn't let any important little details slip, now could she? She would have thrown in why Zuko decided lying soaking wet in a fountain on top of Katara was a good time to make his move (the reason: it was the closest he had been to her since their hug, and he was feeling rather impulsive after their playful wrestling match).

Before she had the chance, however, Sokka had already decided to put his boomerang to its intended use.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Power is flickering, so I'm posting this with minimal editing. _

Blood: **1.** Bloodshed; murder. **2. **Temperament or disposition: _a person of hot blood and fiery temper. _**3.** Passion. **4. **The Fluid that is circulated by the heart.

**Disclaimer: "Avatar" and all of its contents are property of Nickelodeon, which I am in no way associated with. **


	3. Jealousy From the Grave

The crowd clapped and cheered as the couple exchanged their love tokens (one necklace for one ring) and kissed, sealing their union. A circle of candles surrounding them was lit while the bride's father and brother pounded on drums, merging two traditions.

As everyone celebrated, one solemn man looked on, unnoticed.

"You should be happy for them."

Throwing a glare at his companion, Jet snapped, "How can I be happy about Katara marrying the enemy?"

"You're still caught up in that?" Yue asked with a slight shake of her head. "Even after he took a bolt of lightning for her?"

Scowling stubbornly, he said nothing.

"Well, regardless of your opinion of Zuko, There's no need to be so angry about it. It's easier to be happy for the person you love than upset about them moving on."

"How would you know?" he hissed, eyes returning to the scene in front of them. Both Zuko and Katara were holding a knife in preparation for cutting the mystery cake, bickering over who would try which part first. The two layer cake had been assembled by chefs from each nation; the mystery was which layer belonged to which nation.

Yue's gaze drifted over the crowd, landing on Sokka and Suki. "I was human before I turned into the moon, remember?"

". . . Right."

By then the desert had been cut and the couple had simultaneously taken the first bite (Zuko from the top layer, Katara the bottom). Both choked on the unfamiliar flavour. Meanwhile, Aang was trying to trick Toph into eating from the Water Tribe's refreshment table and Mai was quietly arguing with Ty Lee over how much she didn't want a piece of cake.

"We're not the only ones who've had our hearts broken, you know," Yue said, nodding toward Aang and Mai. "They seem to have coped pretty well, all things considered."

The things to consider were the fact that Zuko and Katara had still been dating Mai and Aang when their relationship started. They hadn't broken it off with their respective partners until things had escalated far beyond innocent hand-holding and cheek-kissing.

"Yeah, but they're still _alive_. They've still got options."

"Who says spirits can't date?"

That comment – said with a sly, shy smile – was met with a sharp, shocked stare.

"Just try to lighten up, okay?" Yue said, patting his shoulder. "It's what she would've wanted."

Then, without warning, she faded from view, reappearing as the moon's dim shadow in the darkening sky. After gazing up at her for a moment, Jet turned back to the wedding, the white-hot pain of envy ebbing away just a little.

* * *

Jealousy: Resentful or painful desire for another's advantages

**Disclaimer: "Avatar" and all of its contents are property of Nickelodeon, which I am in no way associated with. **


	4. Jealousy From the Living

Standing in the kitchen washing the evening's dishes, Katara ranted to Suki about the events of her and Zuko's trip into a nearby market. The two girls had been forced into tending to all the chores, since the boys (and Toph) were either busy with other things or outright refused to do housework.

"And then this girl comes up to him and just starts, like, _flirting_ with him," Katara said, holding a bowl in one hand and the dishcloth in the other while gesturing wildly. The water in the basin stirred in response.

With a small smirk, Suki sent her a sidelong glance, raising an eyebrow as she stacked clean plates in the drying rack.

"I mean, she was _all over him_, just like, 'Hey cutie, you should come to the back of the store with me 'cause I'm a total floozy!'" she went on, raising her voice to an obnoxious pitch in mimicry of the market-girl, scrubbing at the bowl more vigorously than necessary. "_Seriously_. Who does that?"

"Sounds to me like you're jealous."

Katara made a noise caught between a snort and a laugh. "Me? _Jealous_? Over some girl hitting on _Zuko_?"Another snort-laugh. "Right, yeah, of course."

"You're the one getting all worked up over it."

"That doesn't mean I like him! I mean, come on – it's _Zuko_!"

"And?" Suki pressed, crossing her arms and turning so she could fully face Katara, leaning her hip against the washbasin. "What reason do you have not to like him?"

"He chased us around the world, stole my mother's necklace, sent an assassin after us –"

"And helped you track down your mother's killed, helped Sokka free me and Hakoda from prison, and is helping Aang prepare to kill his own father."

"He's arrogant, and stubborn, and short-tempered –"

"And shy, and self-sacrificing, and understanding."

"He . . ." she trailed off, mouth opening and closing as she struggled for more reasons. With a huff, she snapped, "Look, does it matter why? I don't like him and I'm not jealous."

Returning her attention to the dishes, Suki continued smirking and said, in a sing-song voice, "That's not what Toph tells me."

Beside her, Katara became noticeably stiff, the mention of their near-omniscient friend's observations clearing posing a significant threat. In a not-quite-casual, quivering tone, she asked, ""O-oh? What does she say?"

"That when you're around him you get all shaky and your heartbeat picks up, and every time you try to act annoyed or disinterested in him your body is sending out lie-signals."

For a moment, she was completely silent and completely still, staring down at the reflection of her careful blank expression in the dirty dishwater. Studying her, Suki tried to remember what exactly Toph had told her about a liar's mannerisms.

Finally, with a sigh and a scowl, Katara said, "Okay, maybe I like him – a _little_," she quickly amended, cutting off the other girl's victorious cry about knowing all along. Turning to glare and point threateningly at her, she said, "But don't tell _anyone_. This stays between you, me, and Toph, alright?"

"Not even Sokka?"

"_Especially_ not Sokka!"

"My lips are sealed," she promised, grinning broadly.

Of course, that didn't mean she and Toph couldn't try to push the two lovebirds together.

* * *

Jealousy: Resentment against a rival or competitor.

**Disclaimer: "Avatar" and all of its contents are property of Nickelodeon, which I am in no way associated with.  
**


	5. Cactus Juice

As a nun who helped keep order in the Western Air Temple and an Avatar who helped keep order in the world, Yang Chen was honoured by having a statue of herself carved and placed in that same temple. It seemed oddly symbolic that – centuries after its creation – it was still intact, uncompromised by war and weather and age. Only a bit of vegetation sprouted, thin cracks splitting across the stone face like wrinkles.

Even in death, it was a place she liked to visit, remembering the other nuns, the young airbenders they had raised and trained. She had almost forgotten how much energy and excitement could fill the lifeless place.

Until the new Avatar decided to use the temple as his safe-house.

It had infuriated her – the way firebending charred ancient stone, earthbending shattered delicate architecture, and waterbending disrupted the intended flow of fountains and streams.

But she was only human, and the need for company (however oblivious it may be to her presence) overrode her anger. Besides, living with a bunch of teenagers reminded her of her youth and provided some thrilling entertainment. There were many things she had the pleasure of watching that not another soul knew of.

Such as the former Fire Prince, Zuko, drinking cactus juice to a point well beyond incoherence.

"You," he slurred, leaning against a pillar with a dopey grin and a finger poking the statue of Yang Chen on the shoulder, "are pretty."

Standing across from him, the spirit stifled a giggle. Even if he couldn't hear her, it was impolite to laugh at someone as out-of-it as he was.

"I jus' thought you should know tha'. An' – An' that 'm really sorry for the tree thing, wi'the pirates. Tha'was . . . Tha'was rude. A prince shouldn't tie up pretty girls."

He paused, putting more of his weight on the support beam to relieve his wobbly legs, running a finger along the stone woman's neckline. "Your necklace was pretty, too. Uncle said if . . . if I give you one, you haffta marry me. 'S that true?" He waited half a second, then continued, "Your skin's really col'. Is it always col'? I can warm you up."

When the prince finally passed out, he had draped himself over the statue, arms wrapped around its neck while his legs hung limply beneath him.

* * *

Author's Notes: _I have no clever title this time. ): _

**Disclaimer: "Avatar" and all of its contents are property of Nickelodeon, which I am in no way associated with. **


	6. Cactus Juice 2

The room was spinning.

Not in the nauseas, "Oh-man-I-think-I'm-gonna-hurl" sort of way; more of an energetic, "I'm-so-happy-I-can't-see-straight" kind of way.

Everything seemed very vibrant and pretty – the floor, the bedding, the pale grey sky beyond the window – to the point that Sokka had to close his eyes to keep from getting distracted by the grain of the wood and the grotesque grooves of Zuko's scar.

"This? This righ' here is – is really nice," Sokka said, head leaned back against the wall and finger tapping the floor with each syllable. His legs were stretched out in front of him, a flask of cactus juice on his lap.

Zuko hummed in agreement, taking a sip from his own flask. His head lolled to the side and, smiling lazily, he nudged the boy beside him. "Hey, you know –" he choked, swallowed, smacked his overly-moist lips together "– you know what I jus' realized?"

"Wha-?"

"Katara, she . . . she's –"

"She's my sister."

"She's, like, really pretty," Zuko slurred, gesturing with his hands in an attempt to visually convey what he was saying. Wiping dribbled drink from his chin with one hand, he tried to draw an invisible hourglass with the other.

Wrinkling his noise, Sokka swatted the other boy's arm down. ""Don' talk about 'er like that! Tha's – I'm her brother, tha's gross."

"You – you know what I'm gonna do?" he asked, sitting up straight and shaking a finger at him. "I'm . . . I'm gonna go up to her, an' I'm gonna kiss 'er. An' I'm gonna do it –" he pulled himself to his feet, wobbled, and walked unsteadily toward the door – "right now."

"I don' wanna hear about it!" Sokka said, throwing his hands up in the air. "J-jus' go do it, an' don' make me hear about it."

Pausing in the doorway, Zuko leaned on the wall for support, grunting in agreement before stumbling away.

"What a good guy," Sokka said to himself, sighing happily and taking another swig of cactus juice.

Five minutes passed.

"Wait! You can't kiss my sister!"

* * *

**Disclaimer: "Avatar" and all of its contents are property of Nickelodeon, which I am in no way associated with. **


	7. Firefly

On the night Li stole her ostrich-horse, the fireflies danced across the yard and cast a pale green glow over everything.

Song had thought of him as misguided and hopelessly troubled since then, wondering how he could accept her food and medicine and hospitality, then turn around betray it all. Wondered what kind of life a person had to have to turn out like that.

Months later, a messenger came with a new ostrich-horse and a letter, both bearing the Fire Nation's crest. The fireflies floated around her head, providing ample lighting as she read the wedding invitation.

It was signed twice. Once by Li with a post script apologizing for stealing from her; again by Fire Lord Zuko with a post script apologizing for lying to her.

One month later, the celebration of Zuko's union with a pretty waterbending named Katara was held in Omashu, a neutral zone between their two nations. Song watched as they laughed and danced and kissed, wondering how the other girl had made such a sombre, misled boy so alive and sure.

Introductions were made ("Song, this is Katara. She and I go way back." He and his wife exchanged glances like there was a secret joke. "Katara, this is Song. She helped my uncle when he was sick." A flicker of guilt as he meets her gaze.). Katara smiled and chatted and relayed the whole crazy story of their meeting, laughing at things that would've made a sane woman hate Zuko for all eternity ("And then he tied me to a tree!").

A stolen then returned ostrich-horse suddenly seemed like nothing.

The sun slipped below the horizon, the moon moving in its place. The party was winding down, but Zuko and Katara insisted on one last dance. Watching them sway in the waning light, Song decided Zuko was like a firefly; dark to those who couldn't look deep enough, until he matured and learned to shine on his own.

* * *

Firefly: Any of various flying insects which produce light by bioluminescence.

**Disclaimer: "Avatar: The Last Airbender" and all of its contents are property of Nickelodeon, which I am in no way associated with.**


	8. Rhythm

The White Lotus Society's little campground (or "Old People Camp", as Bumi liked to call it) was buzzing with activity as everyone prepared for the coming battles. The air was thick with tension and anticipation, setting everyone on edge, creating a need for release.

It wasn't any wonder why Zuko, Katara, and Iroh broke into a heated skirmish.

Well, technically, it wasn't a _battle_ so much as an overly intense sparring match Iroh had suggested to prepare the two for their fight against Azula.

Regardless of if it was serious or not, it definitely provided a much needed, exciting distraction.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Katara asked even as she took her position beside Zuko with sleeves of water ready on her arms. "What if someone gets hurt? My healing can only do so much."

"We'll do it Agni Kai style – first one in a vulnerable position loses," Zuko said, offering a smile as he moved into his stance. To Iroh, he asked, "Sound fair?"

Chuckling, the old man said, "I don't see what difference it makes. I'm still outnumbered and you're still outmatched."

"What was that saying you used to tell me? 'He who has the biggest head is most top-heavy and doomed to fall'?"

Watching from the sideline, Sokka cupped both hands around his mouth, shouting, "Boo! No talking!"

"Shall we get on with it, then?"

"Let's."

In a blink, a vortex of firing was hurtling toward the duo and the small crowd around them erupted into cheers.

Katara responded with ease, her liquid sleeves shooting from her arms and expanding, dousing the flames with a hiss. From the thick cloud of steam that resulted tiny fireballs rocketed toward Iroh in rapid succession, each one skilfully deflected. When there was a break in the assault, Iroh shot two flames from the tips of his fingers, the force of their motion parting the smokescreen.

Dashing forward, Zuko used long, lashing whips of fire to keep his uncle at bay, his arms mimicking the graceful movements of Katara's waterbending. One whip came particularly close to Iroh, allowing him to grab and twist it, the action jerking Zuko closer. He tried to resist and hold his ground, not wanting to move into the dangerous territory of close-range combat, but lost his balance and came stumbling forward, tripping over his own feet.

Twin tendrils of water darted out, one catching Zuko around the waist while the other curved around him, cutting through the length of flame attaching him to Iroh.

Feet replanted firmly on the ground, Zuko glanced at his partner long enough to bark, "Katara!"

Then he resumed countering their opponent's attacks.

With a nod, Katara responded without hesitation. Her arms moved in a blur, seeming to weave together invisible strings as she pulled the water from the grass behind Iroh. Hands pausing above her head, she splayed her fingers and tugged down in a harsh swoop, the semi-circle of moisture at Iroh's back hardening, sharpening.

For a moment, they came to a standstill, Zuko closing in on his front with flaming-fists raised, Katara trapping him at the rear with a deadly ring of icicles. The cheering onlookers fell mostly silent, a few murmurs rippling through the crowd as they wondered if this was the end of the fight.

Staring at his nephew and the girl he had once deemed an enemy, Iroh found himself at a loss for words. He, the Dragon of the West, the man who had laid siege to Ba Sing Se for six-hundred days, had been put at a disadvantage in less than ten minutes. Zuko and Katara had fought so in synch – worked together so seamlessly – that they had been able to take on a firebender of his calibre while hardly breaking a sweat.

A smirk split across Zuko's face. "We win."

* * *

Author's Notes: _There's awesomeness going on at my house right now, so I didn't spend much time editing. Sorry. _

Rhythm: A regular or harmonious pattern created by lines, forms, and colors in painting, sculpture, and other visual arts.

**Disclaimer: "Avatar: The Last Airbender" and all of its contents are property of Nickelodeon, which I am in no way associated with. **


	9. Lick

"Okay, _why _did you do that? Everyone knows doing something like this can only end badly."

The other boy threw him a glare, his already-rosy cheeks darkening.

"I know you're from the south and all, but _seriously._ Did someone dare you or something?"

More glaring coupled with a small, reluctant nod. His cheeks matched his cherry-red scarf, which matched his gloves.

With a sigh, the teen addressing him put his hands on his hips and shook his head, slow and sad. "You know, as decent a guy as you are, stuff like this leaves me convinced that you're a horrible, _horrible_ influence for my sister."

"Sokka?" the girl in question called, descending the school's front steps a few yards away. Then, seeing who he was talking to, she nearly tripped over herself in her hurry to reach them (an effort that was not helped by the slick sheet of ice covering the pavement). "Oh my God, what happened?"

Pointing to where his tongue was stuck on the frosty flagpole, Zuko widened his eyes as if to say, "What the hell does it _look_ like?"

After taking careful ministrations to unstick his tongue and assess the damage (a tiny bit of skin had peeled off, but would heal soon enough), Katara was quick to ask the all important question: "What were you _thinking_? Did Jet drug you before you could get out of the locker room?"

"It was Toph, actually."

"What was Toph doing in the guys' locker room?" Sokka asked, raising one eyebrow in a manner that somehow encompassed curiosity, confusion, and disturbance all at once.

"No, I mean she offered me fifty bucks," Zuko explained, not quite able to form the words on account of his skinned tongue.

"And you _agreed_?"

"I didn't know what would happen!"

"Uh, it's _Toph_. Besides, what do you need fifty bucks for? You and your uncle still have, like, a gazillion dollars after your crazy dad cut you from the family business."

"Sokka," Katara sighed, giving him one of those looks that implied she was questioning how they could be related, "gazillion isn't a number."

"Exactly! They're so rich I have to make up a number!" To Zuko, he said, "Why would you do something Toph asks for a measly fifty bucks?"

"Uh . . ." he stuttered, biting his lip and rubbing the back of his neck. "I'll tell you later."

"What? Why can't you just tell me now?"

"Because," he said, using the hand he had been rubbing his neck with to point toward Katara, who stood on the opposite side and couldn't see the gesture, "I don't want to talk about it in _public_."

Sokka blinked. ". . . _Oh. _Okay. I'll call you after supper."

Up on the school's roof, one pair of binoculars and one pair of super-sensitive ears watched as the trio walked away. With wide, mischievous grins, Jet and Toph bumped fists.

"Okay, I don't care if he's trying to get cozy with my ex; blackmailing Scarface is _fun_."

* * *

Lick: **1.** To pass the tongue over or along; **2.** To get the better of; defeat.

**Disclaimer: "Avatar: The Last Airbender" is property of Nickelodeon, which I am in no way associated with. **


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